1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a webbing guide apparatus for use in a seatbelt system designed to protect an occupant of a vehicle when an emergency situation occurs, the apparatus being employed to guide an intermediate portion of a shoulder webbing in such a manner as to ensure a space which is required for an occupant who is to seat himself or is seated in the back seat when he enters or leaves the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In seatbelt systems of the above-described type, an occupant restraining webbing has one end thereof secured to a webbing retractor which is secured to an appropriate portion of the vehicle body. One type of seatbelt system has the webbing retractor secured to a roof member of the vehicle. In this arrangement, the intermediate portion of the shoulder webbing which is wound off from the retractor is retained near the upper end of a seat back rest for an occupant in such a manner that it is possible for the occupant seating himself in the seat to be brought into an optimal webbing fastened condition conveniently.
Accordingly, when this type of seatbelt system is employed for an occupant in the front seat of a two-door vehicle, the following problem is experienced. Namely, when an occupant who is to seat himself or is seated in the back seat inclines the seat back rest of the front seat toward the front of the vehicle in order to obtain a space which allows him to pass the rear of the seat back rest for the purpose of entering or leaving the vehicle, that portion of the shoulder webbing which extends between its intermediate portion retained near the upper end of the seat back rest and the webbing retractor secured to the roof member is unfavorably disposed such as to cross the space for the occupant to leave or enter the vehicle, which fact disadvantageously disturbs the occupant entering or leaving the vehicle.